A problem frequently encountered during the production of oil and gas is the accumulation of paraffin wax, scale, and debris in the interior or bore of the well production tubing. This wax and debris builds up over time to create restrictions or blockages in the production tubing bore that correspondingly reduce the tubing flow area and the rate of hydrocarbon flow from the well. Often the accumulated wax and debris will completely block the production tubing bore to cease hydrocarbon flow and well production altogether.
A scratching tool attached to the wireline of a wireline unit is often used to remove accumulated wax and other obstructions from production tubing. When a wireline unit is used on an offshore well, the wireline unit must be deployed to the offshore well location by boat, lifted on the platform, and installed for use. When the wireline unit is finally in place at the well location and rigged up for use, it often takes several days of operation with the wireline and scrapping tool before the production tubing is sufficiently cleared of obstructions to allow production to be resumed.
If the blockage or obstruction in the production tubing is so severe that it cannot be cleared by the wireline scraping tool then other options must be considered. These options typically require cleaning tools deployed by a coiled tubing service package or by a hydraulic workover rig. Deploying a coiled tubing service package or a hydraulic workover rig to an offshore location will dramatically increase the cost of servicing the well to increase production. If the well to be serviced is only marginally producing hydrocarbons, the anticipated revenue to be generated from the well production may not justify the cost of these additional tubing cleanout operations and such a well will likely be plugged and abandoned.
Because of the high costs typically associated with servicing a well to remove accumulated obstructions, there is a need for a more efficient and cost effective wireline deployable tool and method for removing restrictions and obstructions from the production tubing of oil and gas wells.